Latest
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Solar farm debate heats up
Concerns about loss of quality farmland, fire risk and visual amenity are among those driving longtime locals to object to a $195 million solar farm proposed for Baringhup. A Planning Panels Victoria directions hearing held in Castlemaine on Thursday marked the start of a process to determine if the 75 Megawatt solar farm gets ministerial…
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Gleeson for Gold
The Midland Express is throwing its full support behind Hard Quiz host Tom Gleeson in his bid for Gold at this year’s TV WEEK Logie Awards, and we’re asking our readers to do the same. The Romsey comedian and ABC TV host thinks it’s only right too, as the Macedon Ranges owes him a debt…
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There’s no place like Kyneton
The fictional land of Oz took new shape in a unique modern-day retelling for Kyneton Secondary College’s latest stage production, with a notable Australian actor and teacher at the helm. Directing this year’s year nine and 10 production was Kenneth Radley who imparted his knowledge and stagecraft to students from many successful years in film…
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Richly deserved
Castlemaine resident and respected beekeeper Eileen McDonald has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community of Mount Alexander Shire, and to apiculture. The mother of six and passionate apiarist said she was shocked and a little embarrassed when she first got news of the award. “Being named the…
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A quiet generosity
Despite decades of charitable work in the community, Gisborne’s Elaine Millar “never in a million years” expected to be named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. In fact, in her surprise, she almost didn’t reply to confirmation correspondence from the Governor General’s office. “When I first read it, I thought, ‘this isn’t right, it must be…
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Trades fair to move
Rumours have flown over the weekend that Kyneton is set to lose its highly successful Lost Trades Fair to Ballarat, following an anonymous post making the claim to the local Facebook page ‘Mollison Street’. Fair founders Lisa and Glen Rundell confirmed to the Midland Express that while no final decision had been made, the fair…
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An unbreakable bond
A love for his community shines through when you meet born and bred Kyneton local Eric Scoble. “It’s a bond with everyone in Kyneton, everyone seems to band together and stick together, it’s unbelievable,” he says. Born in 1951, the middle child in a family of 14 children, Eric remembers fondly the generosity and kindness…
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‘Oldest outlaw’ gets gong
Andrew Denton once called him “Australia’s oldest outlaw” – but Yandoit’s Dr Rodney Syme chuckles at the term as he celebrates news he’s just been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). The high-profile voluntary assisted dying campaigner is among the nation’s Queen’s Birthday Honours recipients, and the prestigious accolade is especially significant…
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A pressing matter
Barfold Olives and 3000 Acres have teamed up to turn unloved urban olives into oil. The local producer has pressed 2495kg of olives to yield 380 litres of olive oil from a city harvest in a pilot program to reduce waste. Delivering the haul to Barfold last Monday, 3000 Acres’ project manager Claire Hetzel said…
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Buzz about a chimney
A beehive discovered during council building renovations in Kyneton was safely relocated in a 12-hour operation last week. Bee Removals Victoria was called in to remove the hive that had formed in the chimney of the Mollison Street building and measured one and a half metres tall. “It was a decent-sized hive in an awkward…
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Contaminated water flows again
Contaminated water is once again flowing down the Campaspe River as Coliban Water admits to another unauthorised release from the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant. It is the 11th time since 2007 that undiluted Class B or Class C water has been released from the plant to the river. The water authority last week advised the…
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Golf club in land deal
Financial strain and declining membership has pressured Kyneton Golf Club to carve up part of its land in a deal with Queensland retirement village developer GemLife. The proposal is for a retirement village on about 20 acres of land including the 17th and 18th holes of the Vern Morcom designed course. Club secretary Jenny Kerr…